Monday, May 23, 2011

Now that summer is right around the corner I have made some changes to my family room. My objective was to lighten and brighten my spring look, and make it look a little softer and lighter for the upcoming summer months.

As you enter my family room if you look to your right will see a console table. I have some of my precious design magazines. and design books on the bottom shelf. You will notice that I have the book’s page side turned outward. I did this in order to keep a lighter, softer look in this area.

The shutters are vintage. I found them at a salvage yard and painted them the same color as my kitchen cabinets in the adjoining room.

The bird cage was purchased many years ago. and I still love what it adds to the room.

In this next image you will see the same area. I have switched out the white urns for some clay pots filled with flowers.

As you continue into the room on your right is the door to our garage. The natural pine armoire holds our TV. The black floor lamps I have had for several years and I was using them in another room. I placed linen shades on the lamps in order to tie in with the sofa fabric which is also linen.

You will also see my new green striped rug that I purchased from Wisteria. I am in love with this rug, and I am enjoying how cheerful it is making the room.

(Future plan for this wall is to get two matching mirrors with the floor lamps placed in front of each mirror just like the lamp is on the right of the armoire.)

In the next image facing the fireplace if you look towards the right corner you will see a small reading chair. I love this chair for its comfort. The higher than normal arms makes for a great reading chair. You will notice the fabric on this chair was also used on the sofa as cord welting. This chair has a contrasting welt in a small green check. The embroidered pillow was purchased from Pottery Barn on clearance. It is 16X26 in. I used a standard size down pillow which is 26in. in length and it fit nicely.

To the left of the fireplace in the other corner is the most comfortable chair we have in our home. We all love to sit in this chair. I added a light linen colored pillow with a stripe that is a soft simple look. I purchased this pillow at Home goods. It is a Ralph Lauren pillow. You can catch a glimpse of a vintage 1940’s milk glass lamp that I added a linen shade too tie in with the other lamps in the room.

You can see my dining room green striped wallpaper in this image. It is amazing how much it looks like my new rug. This shows my sofa with two white pillows and a white throw. I am still working on a pillow combination for the sofa. I have some samples of fabrics coming in the mail this week. I will also be adding a white linen pillow from Pottery Barn with a brown wood button closure as seen

below………

I think it will be just enough texture and interest to add to the look of the sofa and still keep it light and airy.

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This is the left side of the 17ft. long mantel. I purchased two new wood lamps and topped them off with linen shades. All the shades in the room are linen. The artwork I have had for a long time. It was given to me by my DIL. It is so perfect, both pictures have water scenes and are slightly different. I like the gilver(silver/gold) picture frame. I think it picks up the color of the linen sofa nicely. I also love that it is so formal next to a very casual lamp. I think it makes for a much more interesting vignette.

The picture on the right of the mantel.

Mantel #1

The entire 17ft!!! I have added the rough clay pots which add some texture to the composition.

Mantel #2

A little more white is added by adding the white urns.

Which composition do you like better, the clay pots or the urns?

Future projects for the family room to the dismay of my poor hubby are: